There are a million reasons to be stressed these days, especially in the throws of a world recovering from a global pandemic. When manifesting the life of your dreams or winding down after a full day’s work, typically you want to avoid the overwhelm of those nagging ‘what-ifs’. As much as spiritual folk like to lean on meditating and journaling, sometimes writing it out or a brow-beaten mindfulness practice just isn’t enough. Even though your self-care toolkit may be looking a little bit sparse right now, there are plenty of shiny new tools for you to explore.

1. Listen to Positive Affirmations

Affirmation Pod by Josie Ong is my go-to resource for soothing, self-love affirmations. When she says they are affirmations for every season of life, she’s not lying. “Good Things Are Coming” doubles as a manifesting agent and an emotional regulation aid. To keep cool as a cucumber, add its sister episode, “Amazing Opportunites Are Coming,” to your queue. The combination, I must say, is perfect for staying in positive-thinking mode.

If you really want to commit to living your best life, then chase the first two recs with “Affirmations for Building Momentum” to stay connected to your visualizations. However, if you’re looking for a quickie, “Breathwork and Affirmations to Start Your Day” is the lemon water of affirmations. Trust me, you’ll sink into your body and feel the day’s stress melt away.

2. Use Music to Channel Your Getaway

Your great escape is only just one tune away. Music heals the soul and consoles us in our most notable moments of life. Outside of a good vibe, choosing a few songs to listen to while starting your day can transport you to your stress-free desired reality. The tunes you pick can be used as a vehicle to channel how you would feel when you finally achieve your goals.

Use your playlist to help (re)awaken your imagination and open your third eye so you can better connect with your innate nature, visualize your future accomplishments, and ease into a meditative state. As you listen in or sing along, be sure to paint your world with peaceful scenes and desired solutions or outcomes. Some say using music in this way, as an aid for stress relief and manifestation, allows you to really sit in your feelings more than if you were to try doing so in silence.

3. Honor Your Triggers

The best way to stay ahead of your stress and manifest from a place of higher consciousness is to be aware of your triggers. Running from them or engaging in spiritual bypassing won’t do you any favors. Knowing what and why a fear or blockage is coming up for you can help you source appropriate solutions to address your actual needs, such as challenging your ego or writing one sentence of that very important email you’re anxious about sending in the morning.

Adjusting your habits and methods is key for staying stress-less and in the flow of abundance. Switch out your affirmations whenever you need to or find a more authentic way to call in your desires. Getting to know yourself, your triggers and challenges can help you level up if you allow them to.

So the next time you start to feel the walls caving in, remember you have these tools in your self-care toolkit. Don’t be afraid to connect with your inner witch or warlock to work some calm, clarity, and confidence back into your life.

I can vouch for how well these stress-management, manifestation and personal development tips work, because well, I use them myself. Watch my latest video (linked above) to learn more about how I use all of these methods together to stay grounded, stress-less, and shift into the reality I’d rather be in.